Victor e



-Aug. 30,4 1932; v. E; FLoDlN 15375502 LUBRICATED AND SEALED PLUG VALVE- mmuec.- 5. 1931 Patented Aug.` 30, 1932 UNITED" STATE-s,

orales vIczron E. FLODIN, yor OAK rmx,ILLINoIsassIoNoRf'ro zcnaNE co., orcmcneo,

ILLINOIS, .a` CORPORATION or ILLINoIs Y LUBRICATED AND `SEALED PLUd VALVE `Application tiled December This invention relates to lubricated and sealed plug/valves generally known as cocks. For man/y uses a cock is preferable to a valve due to its simplicity and relatively klarge seating areas. A cockhovvever. has f presented two major problems, that of lubricating/the cock so that it-may be readily turned after long periods of being in one position, and that of insuring a positive shut o'if when the cock is inclosed position. Many attempts have been `made to `lubricate the seating surfaces of a cock but it'has been found that the matter of lubricating acock involves complications, particularly when the means of lubrication is also utilized to seal the cock to cause it to be absolutely Atight when in closed position.

It is a relatively simple matter to provide lubricant grooves between the seating surfaces of the cock body and plug therein and to place one or more lubricant grooves around the passage or port through the body when the plug is in closed position to form a seal around this opening. However, if the lubricant grooves are placed where they will provide the most eiiicient seal, they are .subi ject to the pressure of the fluid within the. line when the plug isrotatcd, from open to closed position. ln some instances, the duid will Wash or dissolve out ith'e lubricant throughout the entire s vsteni of lubricating grooves. This is particularly truc where the grooves are arranged to form a complete seal around both ends of the passage through. the bodyY and are connected for connnunication by circuu'lferential grooves around one or both ends of the plug.

lt is tlitepurpose of this invention to provide means for thorougl'ily lulnicating a l plug which will. at the same time. provide a lubricant seal around one or both ends of the passage through thc body when the plug is in open or closed position or both. and at the saine time to so arrange the lubricant f grooves and ducts as to prevent' the fluid 5, 1931;4 Serial No. 579,168.

.in the line from vWashing or dissolving out the lubricant in the entire system and thereby eliminate leaking and ,sticking ofi/fthe cock plug. f

vAccordingmto this invention, a lubricant groove or channel is provided in the `seating surfaces between the body and plugarouncl the passage through the body at each end thereofwhich passages are in communication with a single interrupted or two spaced circumferential' grooves so arranged that they do not constitute a continuous circuit which will permit circulation of the line iiuid therethrough, but on the contrary, are arranged to provide only one or ymore closed or blind circuitsl The grooves are supplied with lubricant from Vone or more development of the lubricatingr groovesl therein.

Referring to the, drawing` the illustrated cock comprises a body 1 having a passage 2 therethrough, the lends of which are threaded ,5to receive pipe connections and' alsofhaving a. tapered plug chhmber `or seat 3 arranged transversely to the passage 2. Seated within the seat 3 of the body is a correspondingly` tapered plug 4 having a port G'therethrough and terminating in an upwardly extending stern 7. The plug is held in position by a.

bonnet 8 which may be secured to the body bv the usual stud screws, notl shown. Clampcd between the bonnet and body are gaskets 9 and 11.. Within the bonnet and vsurroundinoF the stem in a thrust washer 12 anda collar 13, the latter two being held in ositionvby an adjustable nut 14 threaded into the bonnet. Washer .12 is providedwith inwardly and outwardly projecting lugsls a and`16 respectively which cooperate with rec'es'ses formed iir'tlie `stem and bonnet to the lubricant? may 4be fedv under pressure.

Inthe upperfend ofthe reservoir is a removable checkvalveiunit-lf) which prevents of the portv and plug therein. The ends of line pressure .from escaping when lubricant 1s belng replaced. 'At its lower end, reservoir 17 communicates with a pair of lateral ducts.`21 andL22 which extend outwardly to the seating surface of the plughand terminate in enlarged ends 23 and 24 respectively for reasons which will later be described.

IF or lubricating the seating surfaces of the plug and body, the seating surface of the body is provided with an undulated circumferential lubricant groove `having two diametrically opposite portions 26 and 27 which together surround the upper seating surface the two portions overlap-asV at 26a and 27a but are spaced from each other at these overlapping regions to prevent communication from channel 26 to channel 27. The annular eircumferentiallgroove may be considered as one interrupted groove or two diametrically opposite disconnected grooves substantially 180 in length. The seating surface of the body 1s further provided with four longitudinal grooves two indicated by 28 and two A indicated by 29. Grooves 28 lie one upon each side of the passage through the body and at one end of the body while grooves 29 lie one upon each side of the passage through the body at the other end thereof. One groove 28and one groove 29 terminate at their upper ends in the upper circumferential groove portions 26 and 27 respectively but not with both grooves 26 and 27 whereas l one of eachof the pairs of grooves 28 and 29 stops short of the upper groove as at 30 so as not to be in communication therewith. The shortened grooves 28 and 29 are preferably those which are exposed to the line pressure when the cock plug is in throttling position, thus forming a blind exposed groove. Grooves 28 and grooves 29 arel joined at their lower ends by-undulated connecting grooves 31 and 82 respectively which, if desired, may be continued around substantially the entire surface in the'manner of grooves 26 and 27.

The foregoing arrangement of lubricating grooves provides two diametrically opposite blind lubricant grooves substantially lsurrounding each end of the passage through the body. The enlarged ends 23 and 24 of ducts 21 and 22 are equal in length to the amplitude of the undulated grooves 26 and 27 and communicate `with these grooves respectively. and 22 are so disposed that duct 21 will always be in communication with groove 26 throughout the entire 90 rotation of the plug but will never be in communication with groove 27 at any position of the plug. Likewise, duct 22 is so disposed that it will always bein communication with groove 27 but never in communication with groove 26. ln this manner, lubricant under pressure may always be supplied to the lubricantv grooves at any position ofthe plug and thus facilitatemoving the plug regardless of what position it may be left, yet there is no continuous circuit through grooves, in the seating surface of the plug and body from one side of the plug to the other, and no continuous groove surrounding the passages through the body through which the fluid in the line may circulate and thus completely Wash out the lubricant in all the grooves. In the illustrated embodiment lubricant is inserted between the seating surfaces of the body and the plug by lubricating grooves formed wholly in the seating surface of the body, whereas these grooves may be provided in either member as desired.

From the foregoin description it will be apparent that in a coc constructed as heretofore described, substantially the entire seating surfaces between the plug and body may be lubricated by lubricant under pressure at all times regardless of thevposition of the plug. Furthermore, a substantial lubricant seal is rovided around the passage through the bo y at each end of the body where the passage intersects the seating surface thereof and that-the lubricant grooves are arranged in such a manner and interrupted so that the line pressure cannot wash out the lubricant and thus destroy seal at both ends ofthe body.

ing the passage .through the body at each end of the body, means for continuously supplying lubricant under pressure to each of said grooves, and means for preventing communication through said grooves from one to the other.

2. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body ioo opposite lubricant grooves in the seating sur-Ky face of the body and substantially surrounding the passage through the body at each endV of the body, means for continuously supply ing lubricant under pressure to each of said grooves, and means for preventing communi-y cation through said grooves from one to the other at any position of the plug.

3. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber and means for lubricating said cock comprising a circumferential lubricant groove in the seating surface of said body and substantially surrounding said plug, said groove being interrupted, and a longitudinal lubricant groove in the seating surface of said body at each side of the passage through said body at one end of the body, said longitudinal groove communicating with said circumferential groove, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to all of said grooves.

4. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber, and means for hibricating said cock comprising diametrically opposite circumferential lubricant grooves in the seating surface of the body and terminating in spaced non-communicating.overlapping ends, a longitudinal lubricant groove in the seating surface of said body at each side ofsaid passage at one end of the body, said longitudinal grooves communicating with one of said circumferential grooves, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to all of said grooves.

5. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber, and means for V4lubricating said cock comprising diametrically opposite lubricant grooves in the seating surface of the body extending circumferentially of g said plug and terminating in spaced non-communicating ends, a longitudinal lubricant groove in the. seating surface of said body ateach side of the passage through said body at each end of the body, said longitudinal grooves each communicating with one of said circumferential grooves, and means for supplying lubricant under pressure to all of said grooves.

6. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valvechamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber, and means for lubricating said cock comprising a circumferential lubricant groove inthe seating surface of said body and substantially surrounding said plug', said groove being interrupted at dia,-

fmetrically yopposite points, a' longitudinal lubricant groove in the seating surface of said body at each side of the passage through said body atv one end of said body, said longivtudinal groove-s "communicating with said circumferential groove, and means for supplying lubricant under .pressure to all of l said grooves. Y f 7. In a :lubricated and sealed cock, ajbody having'a passage therethrough and a valve ychamber transverse to said passage,` a plug seated in said chamber, and means for lubricating lthe seating surfaces of said plug and body including yalubricantgroove substantially surrounding thev upper portion of said plug and longitudinal lubricating grooves communicating therewith to substantially surround thepassage through the body at each end of the body, means for preventing communication through said grooves between the grooves surrounding the passage at `one end of the body and the grooves surrounding the passage at the other end of the body,.and means for supplying said'grooves'xvith lubricant under pressure.

8. In a lubricatedand sealed cock, a body having a passagel therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug'` seated in said chamber, and means for lubricating the seating surfaces of said plug Aand body including a groove substantially surrounding the upper portion of said plug and a pair of connected'longitudinal grooves cooperating therewith to substantially surround the passage through the body ateach end of the body, one end of one of the longitudinal grooves of each pair being in communication with said circumferential groove and the free end of the other ofsaidlongitudinal grooves of each pairbeing disconnected therefrom, means for preventing communication through said grooves between the groovessubstantially surrounding the passage'at one end of the body and the grooves substantially surrounding the passage at the other end of said body, 'and means for `supplying said grooves with lubricant under pressure.

9. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber,`and means for lubricating the seating surfaces of said plug and body including two diametrically `opposite non-communicating lubricant grooves substantially surrounding the vupper portion of said plug, an additional lubricant groove at each end of the body one incommunication with each of saidy diametrically o posite grooves and cooperating therewit to substantiallysurround the passage through the body, a lubricant reservoir'inthe plug and lateral ducts extending therefrom, one to each` of `said circumferential grooves,and means for preventing each of said ducts from communicating with the other of said circumferential grooves ,through said lubricant grooves.;

l0. In a lubricated and sealed cock,` a body having ay passage therethrough and la valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plug seated in said chamber and means for lubricating said cock comprising diametrically opposite lubricant grooves in the seating sur- 1C face of the body and substantially surround- Ving the passage through the body at each end of the. body, said groovesl terminating in closed `non-conimunicating ends to lprevent circulation therethrough.

15 l1. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body having a passagey therethrough and a valve chamber transverse to said passage, a plugv seated in said chamber and means for lubricating the seating surfaces of said plug and g3 body including an undulated lubricant groove in the seating surface of said body substantially surrounding the upper portion of said plug, a lubricant reservoir'formed infsaid plug and a duct therefrom communicating 25 with said circumferential groove, said duct at its ypoint of communication With said circumferential groove'being of a Width equal to the amplitude of said undulation.

12. In a lubricated and sealed cock, a body 3o having a passage therethrough and a valve chamberv transverse to said passage, a plug l seated in said chamber, and means for lubricating the seating surfaces of said plug and body including two undulating diametricallyi 35 opposite non-.communicating grooves substantially in said body and surrounding the upper portion ofsaid plug, and additional groove' in communication with each of said diametrically opposite grooves at one end s only of said additional grooves and cooperating therewith to substantially surround the passage through the body at each end thereof, a lubricant reservoir in the plug, and

. lateral ducts Vextending therefrom, one to each of said circumferential grooves, being lin communication with saidcircumferential groovesr at all positions of said plug.

13. In a lubricated vsealed cock, a body having a passage therethrough and a valve fc3, chamber transverse to said passage and provided yvith a seating surface, a plug seated in said'chamber and provided with a cooperating seating surface. and means for lubrieating said cock comprising diametrically op- 55 posite lubricant grooves in one of said seating surfaces and. substantially surrounding thepassage through the body at each end l of the body,means for continuously supplyi ing lubricant under pressure to each of said C2 grooves, and means for preventing communicationthrough said grooves from one to the other. n y

In Witness of the foregoing I affix my signature.

i; VICTOR E. FLoDIN. 

